Dayo

Odeyingbo

Odeyingbo had just one sack this season, accomplished in Week 1, but had 21 tackles and four quarterback hits in his first year with the Bears after signing a big free-agent contract. The 26-year-old will probably be a candidate for the PUP list in training camp based on the timing of this injury. The Bears could conceivably get off his 2026 $20.5 million cap hit without much damage to their cap space. In year two of a three-year deal, the guess is that Odeyingbo will stick with the Bears this offseason.

Odeyingbo had four sacks this past season, but 12 in 2023 when he took the jump to reliable pass rusher. Still entering his age-26 season, the Bears are likely forecasting some improvement here. He’ll step in across from Montez Sweat to give the Bears a pair of capable pass rushers at end. Odeyingbo had only started five games in his first three years with the Colts.

“The goal is to be back playing this year,” Odeyingbo said at this weekend’s rookie minicamp. “That’s what I’m working towards. I’m working hard to get back as fast as possible.” Odeyingbo tore his Achilles training for the Senior Bowl in January. He’s targeting an October return, but the Colts are likely to move him slowly. Odeyingbo is a candidate to open the season on the reserve/PUP list, sidelining him for at least the first six games.

Second-round DE Dayo Odeyingbo, fifth-round S Shawn Davis, seventh-round WR Mike Strachan and seventh-round OG Will Fries have also signed their rookie pacts. As is the case with all first-rounders, Paye’s deal includes a fifth-year team option for 2025. If exercised, fifth-year options are now fully guaranteed. Paye (6'4/272) is a former high school running back who was a member of Bruce Feldman’s “Freak-List.” Paye has a thick frame that channels tremendous power into his bull rush. Vicious hands and natural athleticism help him shoot gaps on run plays. He’s difficult to dislodge once his base is established and will chase down plays from behind. He put on a show at his pro day workout, running a 4.52 40-yard dash, posting a 35 ½” vertical, 33” arms and a Herculean 36 bench reps.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Odeyingbo, who injured his Achilles in preparation for the Senior Bowl, will be ready in September or October. Odeyingbo joins his older brother, Bengals IDL Dare, as Vanderbilt defensive linemen to make the jump to the NFL. The four-star prospect accrued 126 tackles, 12 sacks, 85 pressures, and 71 stops over his four year career. He was named second team All-SEC in 2020 and departs as the fifth leading player in Vandy history with 31 tackles for loss. He’s capable of challenging on the outside with a varied toolbox of pass rushing moves, or bulldozing his way through the B-gap. He fits the basketball-player-still-transitioning-to-the-gridiron mold and suffers from the usual array of developmental obstacles to climb. The Colts hope Odeyingbo can improve their pass rush, which was graded by PFF as the 13th worst in the NFL last season.

Odeyingbo (6'6/280) was one of the few bright spots for the Commodores this season, as the team remains winless with an 0-8 record. The senior defensive end, who has already accepted an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, has accounted for 3.5 sacks this season. Odeyingbo has been given a second-round grade by Pro Football Network draft analyst Tony Pauline, so playing on a bad team does not appear to have hurt his draft prospects.

The Vandy program does not have a whole lot to look forward to right now, but at least they will be sending a player to the Senior Bowl. Odeyingbo is a huge 6-foot-6, 280-pound defense end. His long, well-built frame makes him a perfect candidate as a strong-side defensive end who may be able to even kick inside on passing downs. So far in 2020, he has already reached his career-high 3.5 sacks. Odeyingbo is more of a run defender, though, as evidenced by his frame and 17 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. Odeyingbo is considered a UDFA right now, but a good showing down in Mobile could change things.

Odeyingbo has played upwards of five positions at Ranchview High (Texas), but Scout.com sees him as having the most potential as either a defensive end or a tight end with Vandy. “His strength potential is through the roof once he’s in a college weight program,” Scout’s Gabe Brooks noted, “and he’s a natural runner.” One reason why the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder committed to the Commodores -- his older brother, Dare, plays defensive end there.

Kahn likes Odeyingbo as a potential early-impact freshman, but would like to see him pack on a bit of bulk to his 6-foot-5, 255-pound frame. That aside, the analyst thinks that the true frosh defensive end “has the athleticism [HC Derek] Mason wants to add on defense.” Scout.com’s Gabe Brooks noted last summer that so long as Odeyingbo takes advantage of the facilities offered by Vanderbilt, his “strength potential is through the roof.”